Separable gun-carriage.



No. 742,973. I ATBNTBD NOV. 3, 1903. AVT. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKH M.

SEPARABLE GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1903.

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N0 MODEL.

No.742,973. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUG'KHAM;

SEPARABLE GUN CARRIAGE. APIL'IUATIOH FILED JULY 1a, 1903.

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No. 742,973. PATENTBD NOV. 3, 1903.

- A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHA'M} SEPARABLE' GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1903.

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with handles having spring-controlled bolts UNITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT QFFICEQ- ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM, OF WEST- MIN STER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS SONS & MAXIM, LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

SEPARAB LE e UN-CARRIAG E.

.ZPECIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,973, dated November 3, 1903.

- Application filed July 13. 1903. Serial No. 165,291. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREVOR DAW- sON, lieutenant of the Royal Navy, and director and superintendent of Ordnance Works, and GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM, engineer, both subjects of the Kingof Great Britain, residing at 32 Victoria street, Westminster, in the county of London,E.ngland, have in-, vented certain new and useful Improvements in Separable Gun-Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention has reference to separable gun-carriages, and has for its chief object to provide for the ready attachment and detachment of the gun and carriage-wheels to and from the trail, so as to form convenient loads for conveyance over difficult country by mules or other draft-animals. For this purpose the trunnion pin or pivot of the guncradle and the axle of the carriage-wheels are formed with flats orthe like, which when said pivot and axle are turned into an appropriate position permit of their lateral removal from gapped recesses or hearings in the trail. The

said cradle-pivot and wheel-axle are provided or catches for retaining the cradle-pivot and the wheel-axle locked to the trail until re- .leased in the act of grasping said handles to actuate them. The cradle-pivot also has flats or the like for engagement with jaws at the boss of the elevating-segment, so that said cradle-pivot can also be removed from the elevating-segment simultaneously with its removal from the trail.

.In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, and" Fig. 3a

' rear elevation, of a gun-mounting constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the inner end of the trail on a larger scale and shows more clearly the handles of the cradle-pivot and wheelaxle in their locked and unlocked positions. The elevating-segment and parts in 001111601 tion therewith are also shown in this view. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal'section, on an enlarged scale, taken through the cradle-pivot. Fig. 6 shows the cradle-pivot detached from the trail; Figs. 7 and 8 are-end views, also on an enlarged scale, showing the handle of the cradle-pivot and its locking device in the two extreme positions said handle assumes. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 10 an end view, both on an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the wheel-axle and the locking device with which the handle of said axle is provided. I

A is the gun, B the cradle in which it re coils, and B the cradle-pivot. D is the wheel-axle, and D D are the wheels. E is the toothed quadrant of the elevatinggear. The said cradle-pivot B is of'cylindrical form and has flats b b at its ends where it engages with the trail. These flats reduce the diameter of the cradle-pivot, so that when the latteris turned angularly to bring the reduced portions opposite the gaps c in the trail the cradle-pivot (together with the cradle and gun) can be removed from the trail, as is well understood. The said cradle-pivot also has flats b about midway of its 1ength,with which gaps in the boss of an arm e, forming part of the toothed quadrant E of the elevating-gear, engage and constitute its fulcrum. The said toothed quadrant is connected to lugs on the under side of the cradle by a locking-handle e in the well-known manner. The arm 6 of the toothed quadrant also has pins or lugs a, with which springs a engage, the opposite ends of said springs being connected with pins e on the trail. These springs serve to keep the toothed quadrant in gear with the elevating-worm e carried by the trail, when the cradle is disconnected from the toothed quadrant and the cradle and cradle-pivot are O is the trail.

B is the handle of the cradle-pivot, and D the handle of the wheel-axle for enabling these parts to be turned into the position required for securing them to the trail or detaching them therefrom. The handle B" has in its boss a bolt 12 which is adapted to engage with a recess 0 in the trail to lock the cradle-pivot in place when said pivot has been turned into the position represented in Figs. 4 and 7. The said sliding bolt is connected with a spring-controlled leverb which is pivoted at b to the outer end of the handle B The said handle is recessed or made hollow to permit of the lever b moving into it when the handle is grasped by the hand to turn the cradle-pivot, the act of grasping the handle having the efiect of withdrawing said bolt from the recess a in the trail and permitting the cradle-pivot to be turned by the movement of the handle.

The handle D has at its inner'end a screwstem d which fits a radial hole in the wheelaxle and which is held in place by a nut 61. The said handle has a spring-controlled bolt (1 hinged thereto, and its free end is formed with a projection d to engage with a recessed projection c on the trail, and thereby lock the handle and axle -shaft to the trail. By grasping the handle D (like the handle E the bolt is released from the projection c and the wheel-axle can be turned into the proper position to permit of its detachment from the trail.

For limiting the extent of angular movement of the cradle-pivot in either direction a stop 0 is provided on the trail, against which the opposite ends of a gapped plate or disk carried by the cradle-pivot B, is adapted to bear, Figs. 7 and 8, and to thus insure that the cradle-pivot shall be turned into the correct position for enabling its flats to occupy their unlocking and locking position relatively to the trail. The aforesaid bolt b is in the example illustrated made in the form of a cylindrical bar, having a web or fin that enables it to slide without turning in the cavity of the cradle-pivot, as best seen in Figs 5 to 8. In order to retain the bolt in place in its cavity, the said handle B is formed with a flat boss I), which covers the outer end of said cavity and is secured to the cradle-pivot by screws 12 For limiting the extent of angular movement of the wheel-axle in its unlocking movement a stop 0 is provided on the trail, the

angular movement of said Wheel-axle in its locking movement being limited by the aforesaid projection c on the trail.

We wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the specific form of looking device We have described and shown for the handles B and D as any convenient device may be employed so long as it can be liberated when the handle is grasped.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail and the carriage-wheels, of a cradle-pivot having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped hearings in the trail, a handle on said cradle-pivot for turning it to bring the said flats into and out of coincidence with the gaps of the said bearings, and means, dependent on the grasping of the handle for their liberation, for locking said cradle-pivot in position on the trail substantially as described.

2. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail and the carriage-wheels, of a cradle-pivot having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped bearings in the trail, and also having other flats adapted to laterally enter gaps in the elevating-segment, means for detachably connecting said segment to the gun-cradle, means for keeping said segment in-engagement with the elevating-worm, when the gun-cradle pivot is detached, and in proper position for the flats to engage with the gaps in the elevating-segment, a handle on said cradle-pivot for turning it to bring the said flaps into and out of coincidence with the gaps of said bearings and elevating-segment, and means for looking said cradle-pivot in position on the trail substantially as described.

3. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail and the carriage-wheels, of a cradle-pivot having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped hearings in 'the trail and also having other flats adapted to laterally enter gaps in the elevating-segment, means for detachably connecting said segment to the gun-cradle, springs connected respectively with said segment and with the trail for keeping the segment in engagement with the elevating-worm when the gun-cradle is detached and in proper position for the flats to engage with the gaps in the elevatingsegment, a handle on said cradle-pivot for turning it to bring the said flats into and out of coincidence with the gaps of said bearings and elevating-segment and means for locking said cradle-pivot in position on the trail; substantially as described.

4. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail and the carriage-wheels, of a carriage-wheel axle having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped hearings in the trail, a handle on said wheelaXle for turning it to bring the said flats into and out of coincidence with the gaps of the said bearings, and means dependent on the grasping of the handle for their liberation, for locking said wheel-axle in position on the trail, substantially as described.

5. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail, and the carriage-wheels, of a cradle-pivot and a carriage-wheel axle each having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped hearings in the trail, handles on said cradle-pivot and said wheelaxle for turning them to bring the flats into or out of coincidence with the gaps of the said bearings, and means, dependent on the grasping of the handles for their liberation, for locking said cradle-pivot and wheel-axle in position on the trail substantially as described.

6. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail and the carriage-wheels; of a cradle-pivot and a carriage-wheel axle each having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped bearings in the trail, said cradle-pivot also having flats to engage with gaps in the elevating-segment, means for detachably connecting said segment to the gun-cradle, means for keeping said segment in engagement with the elevating-worm when the gun-cradle pivot is detached and in proper position for the flats to engage with the gaps in the elevating-segment, handles on said cradle-pivot and said wheel-axle for turning them to bring the flats into or out of coincidence with the gaps of the said bearings and means, for locking said. cradle-pivot and wheel-axle in position on the trail substantially as described.

7. In a separable gun-carriage, the combination with the gun-cradle, the trail and the carriage-wheels, of a cradle-pivot and a carriage-wheel axle each having flats adapted to laterally enter gapped bearings in the trail, a handle on said cradle-pivot and on said wheelaxle for turning them to bring the flats into and out of coincidence with the gaps of the said bearings, and a spring-controlled bolt or catch carried by each of the said handles and adapted to engage withsuitable'recesses in the trail until liberated by grasping said han- ,d1es, substantially as described.

dles and adapted to engage'with suitable recesses in the train until liberated by grasping said handles, substantially as described. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this th day of June, 1903.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM.

Witnesses:

E. D. LANE, HENRY KING. 

